Discover festivals in Japan you never knew existed.
language
Niigata Prefecture · Nagaoka City (From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 40 min–2 h 10 min · bullet train)

Nagaoka’s summer festival carries hopes for recovery and peace into the night sky and the city streets

Nagaoka Festival

An illustration of the Nagaoka Festival

Festival information

EVENT INFORMATION
Season / frequency
Every year, from August 1 to the 3rd / Every year
Area
Niigata Prefecture・Nagaoka City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 40 min–2 h 10 min · bullet train)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
Highlights and activities
Official website / social media
Official website
Last updated
2026/10/19

The Nagaoka Festival is a summer festival in Nagaoka City that carries on hopes for recovery and peace through its Peace Festival, daytime events, and grand fireworks display.

About Nagaoka Festival

Photo credits and terms of use Photographer: Rankin2019 File:長岡まつり復興祈願花火フェニックス.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Own work by the contributorDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.
Photo credits and terms of use Photographer: penguin8622 (original file author) File:Nagaoka Festival Fireworks 2016 Niagara Fireworks and 36 inches shell Fireworks.jpg / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 penguin8622 cropped from File:Nagaoka Festival Fireworks 2016 Niagara Fireworks and 36 inches shell Fireworks.pngDisplay size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.
Photo credits and terms of use Photographer: penguin8622 File:Nagaoka Festival Fireworks 2016 Three-shaku Fireworks.png / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2XJjZo8IgM – アーカイブについては archive.org 参照。 (1:32)Display size only adjusted.May differ from the event currently featured.

The Nagaoka Festival is a summer festival in Nagaoka City that carries on hopes for recovery from the Nagaoka air raid and lasting peace.

The Peace Festival and memorial events on August 1 are followed by daytime events and a grand fireworks display on the 2nd and 3rd.

Set in the city center and along the banks of the Shinano River, the festival shares the community’s feelings of remembrance and recovery through local events.

Source: Nagaoka Festival / 長岡まつりの日程 | 長岡市よくある質問(Q&A)

Festival highlights

Highlights include the Peace Festival on August 1 and the grand fireworks display set against the Shinano River.

The Peace Festival features a large-scale folk dance procession, a parade, Yuko drumming, and the Echigo Nagaoka Memorial Procession, among other events.

The fireworks light up the night sky with spectacular displays, including the Sho-Sanjakudama and the Phoenix recovery-prayer fireworks, which spread to about 2 kilometers across when they bloom.

Source: 長岡まつり大花火大会|長岡の観光スポット|【公式】長岡観光ナビ - 新潟県長岡市の観光・旅行サイト

Nagaoka’s summer festival carries hopes for recovery and peace into the night sky and the city streets

What to expect

The festival opens with the Peace Festival on August 1, followed by events throughout the day and evening.

In the city center, enjoy stage events, a parade, folk dance performances, and a memorial mikoshi procession. At Aore Nagaoka, you can also explore tourism promotions and hands-on activities, and shop for local specialties.

On the evenings of the 2nd and 3rd, a grand fireworks display is held along the banks of the Shinano River.

Location and access

Venue and address

Nagaoka City

Host municipality 新潟県長岡市

This map shows the surrounding area, not the exact venue location.

Open in Google Maps

Dates and season

Season

Every year, from August 1 to the 3rd

Frequency

Every year

Accommodation and hotels PR

Showing nearby accommodation.

Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Niigata Prefecture / Nagaoka City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)

Nearby attractions

Origins and History of Nagaoka Festival

The Nagaoka Festival began as the Nagaoka Reconstruction Festival, which started the year after the Nagaoka air raid.

In the air raid on August 1 in Showa 20, about 80% of the city center was burned, and 1,489 people lost their lives.

The following year, a reconstruction festival was held to make August 1 a meaningful day for the recovery of Nagaoka City. The festival has since been carried on as today’s Nagaoka Festival.

Official information

The Nagaoka City official website’s “Nagaoka Festival” guide provides information on events, venues, and traffic restrictions.

Visit the official website

Nagaoka Festival at a Glance

The Nagaoka Festival is a festival in Nagaoka City that carries on hopes for recovery and peace.

The Peace Festival on August 1 features folk dance performances, a parade, and a memorial mikoshi procession, among other events. Daytime events and the grand fireworks display follow on the 2nd and 3rd.

A distinctive feature is the chance to experience both spectacular fireworks set against the Shinano River and memorial events rooted in the local community.

#Create#Dance#Eat#For couples#Open to general participation#Held at night#Children can participate#Participation available on the day#Paid#In town

Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team

Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/10/19

Our editorial policy

Submit information or a correction Submit photos of this festival

READ THE STORY

Related features